


The Death of Wade Wilson

by Row4nOwls



Series: The Death of Wade Wilson. [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom!Bucky Barnes, Character Death, Didn't know Wade's Mom's name, F/M, Kitchen Sex, M/M, Sex, Slow Burn, Top!Steve Rogers, Top!Wade Wilson, Wade dies, alternative universe, don't blink you'll miss it, no powers, see title, some violence, sorry - Freeform, totally made it up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 12:23:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7532602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Row4nOwls/pseuds/Row4nOwls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky and Wade live a happy life with their daughter Matti, until Wade's is tragically cut short.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. No Pickles

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Guys
> 
> This is my first Stucky fanfic. Please bare with me it's a little weird, starts with Bucky married to Wade soooo.... You know bad start sort of. It's gonna be a slow burn.
> 
> Please try to remember that Wade's a ghost so once he dies (sorry spoilers but come on you read the title... Right?) the other characters can't see or hear him.
> 
> Sorry unbeta'd and I'm dyslexic so mistake are mine but please be gentle about pointing them out... I'm very sensitive.
> 
> I'm gonna try to update weekly! 
> 
> Thanks.

The alarm went off and Bucky rolled over hitting the button and slipping from his bed he looked back at his sleeping husband and smiled to himself momentarily before reaching over and ripping the pillow from under his head. Smacking his lover's head with the feather stuffed, 'Hello Kitty' clad pillow he instructed, "get up Wade" before shuffling towards the ensuite.  
"I'm up, I'm up" Wade mumbled sleepily.  
"I don't wanna hear about your morning wood, I meant wake up and get out of bed you lazy ass".

Wade pulled Bucky's much more grown up plain red pillow towards himself, pulled the covers over his head and went back to sleep. Bucky showered and brushed his shoulder length hair back into a neat bun before wrapping a towel around his waist. He wondered out of the ensuite rolling his eyes at his husband as he pulled open the curtains, "get out of bed" he snapped ripping the covers off of the bed. "But I don't wanna" moaned Wade.  
"Well Wade" said Bucky leaning against the door frame, "if you get up now you'll enough time to fuck me over the kitchen island before we take Matti to day care, but if you stay in bed you'll have to jerk off in the shower..."  
Wade popped an eye open interested in Bucky's offer. The other man smiled and undid his towel letting drop to the ground leaving him naked and wet as he wondered into the kitchen.  
"Are you still lose from last night or do I need lube?" Wade shouted somewhat unromantically and he leap from the bed to follow his lover. Moments later Bucky was bent over the kitchen counter being fucked hard by a smiling Wade, "fuck I love you" he cried as he came.  
"Keep going I haven't come yet" Bucky moaned as Wade resumed his pace, "I love you too" Bucky added for good measure.  
When Bucky came Wade handed him some wet kitchen towel, "I'm gonna shower beautiful" he slapped his husband's arse and wandered off. Bucky was dressed and making pancakes by the time Wade had showered, dress, carefully styled his hair and gently woken their two year old daughter, Matti. 

"Hey look baby, Daddy's making breakfast". Bucky piled pancakes and blueberries onto three plates and drizzled maple syrup over them. He handed Wade a coffee and made an apple juice up for Matti they ate happily together discussing work and the logistics of the day, "so you'll pick Matti up from day care" Bucky recapped as Wade washed up, "and take her to Lucie's party and I'll meet you both there at six". Bucky finished making Matti's lunch and slipped it into her backpack, "time check?" He shouted as he picked up Matti from where she was playing on the floor and took her into her bedroom to dress her.  
"We've got twelve minutes" Wade replied piling the dishes artfully on the side and drying his hands on his jeans. The chaos of leaving the apartment started with "have you got Matti's backpack?", "where are my shoes?", "what did you done with the door keys?", "have you called for a taxi?", "I can only find one of Matti's mittens" and "don't forget your phone Wade" and they where out the door. Leaving unseen Matti's Disney Princess backpack on the kitchen counter. 

~~~~~~

The taxi dropped them off a block down from the daycare centre. "Have you got Matti's backpack?" asked Bucky as he stepped onto the sidewalk. Wade pulled out his wallet and paid the driver, "I'm two dollars short... How about a high five instead Dopinder?"  
"Um... Sure Mr Wade" awkwardly the man high fived Wade through the open taxi window before rejoining the long line of yellow taxi's which filled New York City.  
"Have you got Matti's backpack?" Bucky asked again, annoyance raising in his voice.  
"You have it"  
"I have Matti" he raised the child in his arms slightly.  
"Er... Shit I think I left it at home"  
"Wade!"  
"She's two what does she need a backpack for?"  
"Her lunch is in it, she needs her lunch Wade."  
"They'll feed her at daycare"  
"She's lactose intolerant Wade" Bucky was exasperated now, "they insist that parents provide lunch if their child has a special dietary need."  
"I know, I know she is that's why we get that weird milk" Wade rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll fix this Buckaroo, I'll run down to the convince store and grab her a lunch"  
"A proper lunch" Bucky warned, "not a loaf of bread and packet of baloney"  
"Yeah, a proper lunch with healthy stuff and no dairy I cross my heart and hope to die" he stepped forward and kissed Bucky, "you go and I'll catch you up".  
"Ok" agreed Bucky as Wade jogged off, "no pickles" he shouted after the man who waved in response. Bucky sighed but smiled at his husband's antics. "What are we going to do with him hey?" He asked Matti as he jiggled her on his hip. He walked the opposite way from Wade towards the daycare hoping that Wade wouldn't end up late for work again, the man was on his second strike already. 

~~~~~

Once in the daycare Bucky explained the situation to the bored looking girl at reception - Darcy. Bucky disliked her intensely. Partly because she flirted outrageously with Wade every time they came, partly because the way she said 'James' set his teeth on edge but mainly because he wouldn't trust her to look after a paperclip. He tapped his foot impatiently as he waited.  
"Morning Matti, James" Sharon said as she ended the reception area, her voice had a sing song quality to it and the woman was so warm and open they any doubts he had about leaving Matti at the centre due to Darcy's attitude and behaviour was completely washed away. "How are we this morning?" She asked extending a finger for Matti to clutch.  
"Fine, stressed, but fine" he forced a smile, "Wade forgot her lunch".  
"Again?" Asked Sharon, "did he leave it in the taxi?"  
"Nah, at home this time so at least we don't have to buy another backpack for once" he smiled.  
"So he's gone to buy her something".  
"Yeah, he shouldn't be long..." Bucky trailed off as the bright blue lights of the NYPD filled the room the noise of their sirens drowned out their conversation. Once they'd passed Bucky became overwhelmed by a cold sensation unravelling deep in his stomach. "Take Matti".

~~~~~~~

Wade was out of puff by the time he reached the store. He slipped inside and ran aimlessly around the aisles for a few moments before he calmed down and started to think clearly. "You can do this Wade a proper lunch for your little princess". He grabbed a bag of grapes, a small packet of sliced apples, he checked the ingredients on several of the sandwiches before giving up on that option. He picked up a packet of three cartons of the apple juice Bucky brought. Found some dairy free crackers and a packet of ham which was just a variation on what Bucky told him not to do but it was the best the store had to offer. He joined the back of the queue trying to be patient as he checked his watch for the third time. The ball over the door rang and the man who stepped through it pushed in front of him, "hey buddy there's a line" Wade pointed out. The man turned a gun pointed at his chest, "shut up buddy" he sneered. The last thing Wade Wilson heard in this world was the click of the hand gun as the man pulled back the trigger. 

~~~~~~

Bucky heard gun shots as he raced towards the store. The police were firing at a man inside, "what's happening?" Asked Bucky as he drew level with a police officer.  
"We're handling it sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step back"  
"But my husband is in there"  
"Please sir, you need to stand back for your own safety."  
"But, but..."  
"Sir, please go back behind the tape"  
Bucky blanched but moved towards the tape until the officers radio burst to life, "suspect down, hostages are safe we need paramedics for two injured civilians."

Bucky pushed past the cop and ran towards the store following some paramedics who were running towards the entrance. He rushed through the door to see the two men trying to revive Wade. "Oh god" he dropped to his knees. There was so much blood, Wade's eyes were open but there was no life behind them. His body convulsed as they pressed the pedals to his chest. His face was pale and his shirt ripped where the bullets had hit. Bucky's heart was in his mouth as the man declared him dead and a cop brought a sheet over to cover Wade until they could remove him from the scene of the crime. Bucky threw himself at Wade before the man could cover him with the sheet, "no" he screamed, tears streaming down his face, "please, please darling no, no, don't leave me... I need you sweetie please Wade". He begged and he cried and he pleaded until one of the police officers gently pulled him away, another covered Wade from view. Bucky was lead out to an ambulance and a silver blanket was placed around his shoulders. 

~~~~~~

The world was different and yet somehow the same. The alarm went off and Bucky rolled over to hit the button shutting it off. "It's ok Bucky bear I'm up" said Wade. Bucky ignored him and shuffled off into the ensuite. Wade bounded out of bed and followed him, "look I know I fucked up yesterday but I swear I won't forget her lunch today, cross my heart and hope to die". He smiled at his husband who stripped off and stepped into the shower yet still Bucky said nothing, "Want some company?" Wade asked moving towards the shower only to have Bucky shut the door in his face. "I deserved that..." Wade moved back a few paces. Bucky didn't usually hold grudges for this long he must have done something else. He strained to remember what happened after going to the store but came up blank. His memory was shit, this was nothing new. He gave up on speaking to Bucky through the shower door and wandered out into the living room. 

He was surprised to find Becca, Bucky's little sister, in the living room. She was dressed in a black dress over black tights and black kitten heels. Becca was the opposite to Bucky, who'd often be found in black, she never wore it preferring tie dyed brightly coloured clothes instead. She was folding some blankets that were on the sofa like someone had slept there... Like she had slept there. "What happened doll?" He asked mimicking the nickname that Bucky had given her. "Everything ok with you and Tom?" She didn't answer him instead piling some pillows on top of the blankets and calling out to Bucky, "do you still want me to cut your hair?"  
"Yeah, short back and sides" Bucky called back.  
"Do I get a vote in this?" Wade whined, "I don't want you to cut your hair babe, I like running my fingers through it too much".  
Still he was ignored. It was starting to grate on him, "what the fucking is going on? Why is no one answering me!" He made to sit down on the coffee table but fell straight through it. He jumped up expecting it to be broken but was shocked to find the object intact. He ran his fingers through his hair suddenly starting to feel overwhelmed then he noticed the newspaper. The date was wrong, it had to be otherwise he'd lost two months. 

He looked around realising that Becca had disappeared into Matti's room and Bucky was emerging from their bedroom dressed in a black suit over a white shirt and a black tie. He was pale, there where bags under his eyes and he was thinner then he was yesterday... Only it wasn't yesterday according to the newspaper two months had passed. Looking at his husband he could see those months etched into his face, every minute of them. "Sweetheart please... I don't know what's going on I fell through the coffee table... Through it and your not..." Wade stopped mid sentence as Bucky walked right through him. "Oh fuck, fucking fuck, fuck, fuck am I dead?"

~~~~~~~

The day was grey and dull. People mourned dressed in black. Apologised to Bucky like it was their fault. Like they could have stopped it. Becca held Matti throughout the ceremony and the burial she asked if Bucky was ready to leave, he shook his head no. Asked her to take Matti home to the wake. He stood by the fresh grave and watched as they filled it in, cursed Wade's name not caring what the grave diggers thought until he broke down into tears begging Wade not to be dead, begging him to forgive Bucky for his last words to him not being 'I love you', but being 'not pickles'. He walked home slowly hands in his pockets head down. 

The wake was in full swing by the time he got there. More people offered their condolences, apologised. Becca tried to make him eat but he wasn't hungry. He retreated to the roof where he found Logan Howlett, Wade's old army buddy. He was smoking a cigar and swinging out of whiskey bottle, he nodded to Bucky as he came through the door. He liked Logan. The man had a gruff exterior but he was sensitive on the inside, not overly, but he cared deeply and was prone to acts of generosity. He didn't talk and offered Bucky a swig of the whiskey, "how's Jane?" Bucky asked after taking a gulp.  
"We divorced"  
"I'm sorry"  
"Don't be. We drifted, I'm married to the army really." Bucky handed the whiskey back, Logan swigged it, "she found another guy straight laced and reliable, Scott's his name. He's nice I like him, secretly."  
"I'm glad she's ok, that your ok... Aren't you?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine you know me I'll bounce back" he handed the bottle back, "I bet your sick of people asking if your ok, if you need anything, if they can help so I ain't gonna. But I will stay this you need anything - money, somewhere to stay, a shoulder to cry on anything at all. You. Call. Me" he said the last part firmly, "you got that Buck? There's not limits on that, Wade saved my sorry arse more than once, I owe him. He'd haunt my arse forever if he thought I'd let anything happen to you."  
"I got it"  
"Good" Logan looked back out over the city, "I'm freezing my balls off you wanna go back in?"  
"Sure". 

~~~~~~

Wade paced the apartment moving through the wake-goers this was maddening. He'd had no idea how he'd ended up here... Dead. He had no idea where he was meant to go. There was no indication about where was meant to go. He'd never been particularly religious but he knew about heaven and hell surely he was meant to go to two of them. He wasn't big headed enough to think he'd go to heaven but surely he wasn't meant to be trapped in their apartment watching people mourn for him. He looked around. 

Becca sat in the sofa jiggling a fussy Matti on her knee, Sharon from the daycare sat in front of them on the floor playing peek a boo with his daughter. Bucky's mother was in the kitchen making people drinks, his father covering left over food. While Wade's mother wailed in the sitting room, openly weeping people where surrounding her and offering comfort, passing her tissues, rubbing her back. Wade rolled his eyes, "come on Mum", he moaned at her, "you didn't give two shits about me when I was alive what the fucks changed now, huh?" His father had left when he was a baby and his mother had a string of lovers constantly handing Wade off to her sister May instead of looking after him herself. 

Wade looked around his Aunt May stood next to his cousin Peter her arm around the teenager as she talked to Bucky's great Aunt Fiona. Suddenly realised that Bucky wasn't in the room, "Buck?" He shouted looking around for his husband, "sweetie?" He went into their bedroom hoping Bucky was just having a lie down but he wasn't there he started to freak out he rushed back into the living room relived as Bucky walked back through the front door into the apartment. He looked a little better a small smile playing about his lips and his cheeks slightly redden by wind and, Wade guessed, whiskey. Bucky was closely followed by Logan who had a bottle in his hand and a cigar in the other he was telling Bucky a funny story about their army days. 

"So there we both are butt naked in the middle of the Iraq desert..."  
"Logan" complained Wade, "you swore you'd never tell anyone!" He laughed, Bucky laughed. Wade grinned, "thanks man," he said to Logan, "knew you could be counted on".  
"And the pair of us are trying to cover our dignity..." Logan handed Bucky the bottle who swigged from it "while jogging across this freaking desert and all Wade can say 'I told you shoulda gone North'" Logan burst out laughing, Bucky let a small laugh and a watery grin.  
"What is going on?" Demanded Wade's mother.  
"I'm sorry?" Questioned Bucky.  
"You'd think you would be! This is my son's funeral and you walk in here drinking and laughing" she spat like she had a right to chastise Bucky when she'd barely been there for Wade and Bucky taught him the meaning of the word 'love'.  
"Shut up mom" shouted Wade, "you don't have a right to speak to him like that."  
"I'm sorry Rhonda," Bucky began.  
"Rhonda?" Asked Logan, "as in Wade's absentee mother?" He looked her up and down in disgust, "fuck me you've got some balls on ya don't ya?"  
"Excuse me?"  
"Showing up playing the grieving mother when you made your fucking baby sister raise Wade," Logan shouted before polity saying "no offence May" over his shoulder barely letting May say - "None taken."  
Before he ploughed on, "and you have the fucking nerve to give Buck a dressing down when if it wasn't for that man you wouldn't even know where your son was. Your a fucking disgrace".  
"Couldn't have put it better myself" Wade grinned.  
"How dare you speak to me like that" spat Rhonda.  
"Enough" said Bucky holding up his hands, "it's been a long, emotional, terrible day and everyone's tried and upset..."  
"Then act like it" Rhonda snapped at Bucky.  
"Don't you speak to my boy like that" interjected Winifred Barnes.  
"You tell her Mrs B, you tell I didn't know a mother's love until I was introduced to you" Wade folded his arms triumphant.  
"Of get off your high fucking horse Winnie" Rhonda rounded on her, "you've always thought you were better then, you've always looked down your god damn nose at me."  
"Oh god, you've been drinking haven't you?"  
"Admit it" Rhonda screamed in Winnie's face shoving her.  
"Hey, get away from my mother" Bucky snapped grabbing Rhonda's arm to pull her backwards. Rhonda turned raising her free hand and slapping Bucky hard across the face.  
"Get out" he growled at her, "everyone get out of my house" he shouted storming into his bedroom and slamming the door behind him. Wade followed closely behind Bucky managing to slip through the door before it shut. "It has been a long day hasn't it? A long fucked up day, Bucky I'm dead aren't it? Like really dead, for a couple of months even", tears slipped down Wade's face but they felt too cool, freezing rather then the strange lukewarm of normal tears. He hugged himself as he fell to his knees, "Bucky I don't where I'm meant to go I'm pretty sure this isn't right I think I'm meant to go somewhere... But... I'm so lost... I thought my grandmother would be here... Oh god Babe what am I meant to do?, what am I meant to do!"  
Wade looked up from where he'd dissolved into a weeping mess on the floor Bucky was sat on the bed his back ramp rod straight staring at the wall. "What am I going to do Wade?" His voice was soft and heavy all at once like he was talking around a lump in his throat. "How am I meant to keep living without you?"  
"You... You'll find away Buck... You just have too".  
"I'm not strong enough" his voice sounded hollow. Bucky curled himself into the foetal position sobbing gently into his pillow. There was a soft knock on the door, "you feel like talking about it yet?" Becca's voice was soft and gentle.  
Wade looked up at her, "about what a bitch my mother is? I don't think he's up to that".  
"Nope"  
Becca sat down on Wade's empty side of the bed, "you want to be alone?"  
"Nope"  
"Stay"  
Becca gently lay down on the bed next to Bucky far enough away that they weren't touching but close enough that Bucky could feel her warmth. It was the perfect amount of space and comfort.


	2. Shit... She could see me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky moves his daughter Matti to Maine for a fresh start and meets Steve Rogers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am really, really sorry for the ridiculously late update. I won't promise another update date as life is getting in the way but I will promise a further three chapters.

Time was meaningless. It moved strangely to the dead minutes stretched out to feel like hours while weeks turned into seconds. Wade wasn't sure how long he'd been gone all he knew was he hadn't been able to leave the apartment since his funeral. He sent his time pacing, talking fruitlessly at his family and trying, yet failing, to interact with his environment. He watched helplessly as Bucky got thinner, as the bags under Bucky's eyes grew larger, as Bucky got more and more stressed. He watched as Matti grew taller, older, as she talked more and came a proper little person.

Wade noticed his husband selling his watch to make the rent one month, the TV in the bedroom the next. He wondered why Bucky was struggling he had a good job, they had savings until one day he sat next to Bucky as the man poured over the household accounts only to see that's he'd been dead for two years and his family were living hand to month.

"Bucky" he said gasping at the bank statement, "where are our savings? where's your income? Babe did you get fired?" He couldn't recall Bucky saying anything but then why would he have come home and told a toddler he'd been fired. "We should call Logan" said Wade seriously, "Buck he'll help us, he'll send money".

Bucky pushed the papers off the kitchen island and pulled a newspaper out of his backpack and unfolded it lying it on the counter. He turned to the job section and started calling every number from the 'kitchen hand wanted' ad to the 'receptionist needed' one.

"Bucky your a qualified teacher, you speak twelve languages... Babe you can do better then any of these jobs..." Wade told his husband as he watched in horror as Bucky either crossed out the advert after the phone conversation or wrote a time and date next to it. The next few weeks where horrific. He watched as Bucky returned home more and more dejected.

He kicked the coffee table over one night, "stupid fucking dog" he grumbled as he threw himself on the sofa.

"Didn't get the dog walking gig huh?" Asked Becca from the kitchen where she was cooking as Matti said on a stool colouring a picture.

"No, the dog bite me and the owner said it was my ora that was upsetting it" Bucky sat up from where he'd been lying down, "what are you doing?"

"Cooking dinner" Becca answered.

"I didn't have any food in" said Bucky.

"I know, I also know that that 20 in your wallet is all the money you have left in the world and that if you go another week just eating Matti's leftovers you'll end up in hospital and the state will take my niece away... And pal I ain't ever letting that happen."

"Becca I can't take money from you."

"Yes you..." She covered Matti's ears, "fucking can. Until you get back on your feet I'm helping you anyway I can and if that means that I'm buying you food and paying a couple of bills then that's what I'll do."

"You paid my bills?"

"Only gas, electric and water".

"Thanks sis, what did Tom say?" "He paid your rent" "Bet he thinks I'm a right loser"

"No, he thinks that the love of your life died, that your work unjustly fired you because you were depressed..."

"I went to work drunk and wearing my PJ's... And slapped the Principal... And wrote swear words in nine different languages on the whiteboard in permanent marker"

"Fuck babe... Was that three separate occasions or one really shit day?" Asked Wade.

"Unjustly fired you" she repeats like she hadn't heard the school's legitimate reasons for letting Bucky go. He'd never actually been to the doctor to be diagnosed, it was perfectly reasonable to think that he'd been somewhat depressed but without a doctor's note as evidence the school board had not choice but to let him go.

"and that you've been busting a hump ever since to feed your daughter. Tom's in your corner, I am too and Ma and Pa... Honey the only thing you have to do is swallow a little pride... And maybe call Logan back."

"Logan called? What did he want?"

"To see if your ok, he stopped by the school to see if you wanted a drink afterwork only to find you didn't work there anymore... How come you didn't tell him?"

"I didn't want him to worry... And I definitely didn't want him to offer me money."

"Buddy it's time to swallow that pride" his sister told him as she handed him the phone.

\------

Bucky sat in the coffee shop tapping his foot. Waiting was maddening. He'd also found it so. He chewed on his thumb nail as he nursed a cup of tap water, just enough money in his pocket to offer Logan a black coffee when he entered. He'd rang Wade's best friend and to spite his pride, his concern that he was taking advantage of Logan's good nature (closely guarded secret as it was) and the thought that he should be reasonable to getting himself out of his own mess he excepted Logan's offer to 'poke around and see what he could rustle up'.

Logan'd rang and asked to meet up a week later having sorted something for him. The bell about the door tinkled and the six foot one form of Logan shuffled in wearing a black shirt to spite the cold the material stretched across his muscles causing the girl behind the counter to perk up considerably.

"Buck" he waved at Bucky, "coffee?"

"I have water" answered Bucky from his seat. Logan gave his a quick smile before talking to the girl behind the counter.

"I'll get you one" Bucky offered standing.

"Sit down" barked Logan turning back to the girl. A few minutes later he wondered over to Bucky a tray containing two coffees and two large cookies.

"Let me give you some money" said Bucky as Logan sat down tossing his car keys on the table.

"Never" Logan smiled, "here, eat you look thin" he pushed the cookies towards Bucky.

"I'm fine" Logan raised an eyebrow and Bucky took a cookie, "thanks" he managed a weak smile.

"I've figured a few things out for you" said Logan pulling out a hip flask and pouring a little whiskey into his black coffee, "I have a house in Maine I turned it into apartments a few years back and Angie just moved out, engaged to a principal of a high school."

"Ok" said Bucky.

"Angie tells me that the school needs a language teacher"

"Ok" Bucky repeated was Logan telling him all his problems were solved if he just agreed to move to Maine?

"I asked Angie to give your CV in at the school and Peggy, she's the principal, she'd like to hire you." Logan smiled.

"Based on pity?"

"Based on you being damn good at teaching and hiring a teacher who is able to speak several languages will enable the school to offer a more diverse programme which is what this Peggy's been angling for since she took over as principal. No pity here mate just a couple of people getting exactly what they want".

"I'm sorry Logan I'm just having a hard time swallowing my pride..."

"Trust me I get that I really do but sometimes it's worth doing" Logan reached across the table and clasped his hand around Bucky's wrist, "I promise you man, things are going to get better."

"Yeah, only way is up right?" Bucky slipped his coffee it was warming and welcome after the cold outside.

"That's it Buck you'll find your away again and until then I'm here for you to lean on. Speaking of the apartment that Angie moved out of it yours, no rent just pay your own utilities."

"I don't want to take advantage, I know Wade did a lot for you in the army but come on man your not making any money here".

"That's my business" said Logan his voice firm, "it's not like your the only guy I help out. I do the same for Clint's husband exactly the same in fact... God, Clint was a great guy I wouldn't've made it out of Iraq if it wasn't for Clint."

"I don't think Wade ever mentioned a Clint"

"Wade and Clint never meet, I moved to special ops after Wade finished his last tour to marry you."

Bucky laughed, "to marry me? You know Wade and I weren't together when he was in the army".

"I know... But you had that one night thing you guys had like... What a year or something before Wade turns up butt naked on your doorstep with a rose between his ass cheeks?"

"Shit, yeah of course I remember that... You know I lied about how old I was that night..."

"He said... You were like what... Sixteen? Pretending to be twenty one?"

"It was CBGB's man and I had to see that band... Jesus I can't even remember the name of that band! Crazy right?"

"What's crazy is that Wade spent a year in the ass end of nowhere talking about how he was going to marry you one day, and how incredible that night had been... And how fucking sure he was that you'd say yes when you might not have even remembered his name."

"Only reason he'd found me was cause my folks and Bec where outta town that night and I'd taken him back to our place. God, if he hadn't been so drunk he woulda noticed the fucking superman bed sheets" Bucky laughed and slipped his drink.

"Oh he noticed, made him like you more used to say 'he's a sexy as hell, so fucking funny and he likes superman enough to sleep with him'" Logan laughed.

"Fuck, you know my Pa gave him a right fucking dressing down. Dragged him into the house told Wade exactly how old I was, told Wade unless he could give him a good reason why he was parading around in the nude and trying to court someone almost ten years younger then Wade he was going to call the police and have statuary rape charges brought against him. Wade blushed so hard his entire body turned red" Bucky laughed again, "he clashed horribly with the pea green blanket Ma has slung around him."

"Christ, Wade never said that, what'd he say?"

"He smiled real big, apologised for defiling me and told my Pa, my six foot five fire fighter father, that he loved me from the moment he saw me and love knew no reason".

"And that worked?"

"Pops is a romantic, always has been, but he did make Wade promise no more sex until I was eighteen" Bucky broken off another bit of cookie.

"He stick to that?"

"Course, Wade never crossed my Pa. He knew better then that".

"Fuck never thought I'd meet a man Wade Wilson was afraid of"

"I don't think it was fear, more respect he respected my Pa, like he'd have respected his commanding officer".

"I'd doubt you'd say that if you'd seen how he used to treat Striker"

Bucky laughed bright and easy before asking, "So I could rent Angie's old place?"

"You get the same deal as Phil, no rent but your sort your own utilities"

"Jesus, Logan you make a few phone calls and sort my life out for me"

"Yeah only catch is you have to leave New York"

"It's Wade's city, honestly it's like I can still feel him here. I get home and it feels like he's just in another room, like he's there but I can't see him... I've been thinking that Matti and I need a fresh start... And this feels like it".

"Good" Logan slipped his coffee.

They chatted for a while drinking more coffee and eating a few more cookies before Logan stood to leave, "gotta run, hot date".

Bucky grinned noticing Logan's keys on the table, "Logan you forgot your car keys".

"It's the grey pick up truck parked across the road and it's yours... How else will you get to Maine?"

With that he was gone. Bucky stared at the keys for a long moment before scooping them up and wondering dazed out of the coffee shop. He cried when he got into the truck and realised that no only did it have a full tank of gas but a booster seat for Matti.

\------

It was a whirlwind after that. A flurry of Bucky packing and family coming to wish him luck. Wade was scared that he'd be left behind as his family literally moved on without him. Logan, Becca, Tom and Bucky's parents came to help him pack and sort their stuff.

Bucky cried as he gave away some of Wade's clothes and other belongings to charity. Logan gave him a cigar and they smoked them on the roof. Becca made him promise to call every night and Wade panicked as the last of the boxes were removed from the apartment. Becca lifted Matti into her arms and kissed Bucky on the cheek before leaving the apartment.

Wade sat unseen in the corner of the bare room he looked around it having sent the last two weeks screaming at Bucky not to leave the apartment or New York or him. But his voice fell on deaf ears as it had every second since his death.

"I love you Buck, I won't exist without you please baby just stay here just stay with me" he begged.

Bucky's eyes swept the room taking in everything from the bare floors to the patches on the walls where pictures used to hang. He picked up the only thing remaining in the room, a small box on the mantelpiece.

"Well old man" said Bucky, Wade looked up at the use of the familiar nickname. "This is it huh? End of an era... This... Fuck this is really it. I'm scared I want wanna go but I... Oh, God I can't stay here... I can't afford here... I don't wanna leave cause this place, Manhattan, New York it's you it's all you... I can still feel you here but that's why I have to go I'm drowning here without you baby." Tears where flowing down Bucky's face, "I'll love you forever but it's time, time for a new adventure. Guess I'll take a little bit of you with me but this is it". Bucky wiped his eyes and sighed as he turned towards the door.

Wade stood following him, "oh god this is it".

He stood one side of the threshold watching as Bucky stepped to the other side and closed the door behind him. Wade wrapped his arms around himself turning towards the empty apartment and shuddered at the thought of forever on his own watching as other people came and went from his family's happy home.

Suddenly he was pulled by some unknown, unseen force through the apartment's front door. As if he was on wheels he glided along in Bucky's wake he couldn't move, he couldn't stop unable to do anything but unwittingly follow. Once Bucky reached the pick up truck parked outside the apartment building he leant in through the open window and placed the box he'd taken from the mantelpiece on the truck's dashboard.

Just as suddenly as he was pulled through the door Wade found himself in the passenger seat of the vehicle. Matti was seat strapped into her car seat in the back of the trucks cab. "What the fuck?" Asked Wade leaning forward to view the box which read 'Wade W Wilson 1976 - 2016'.

"Fuck, I thought I was buried" he frowned.

Outside of the vehicle Bucky embraced his family each in turn promising to call when he got there before hugging Logan who promised to follow in the moving van. Bucky slipped into the drivers seat, "OK pumpkin wave bye bye to Granny and Grampi" he said looking at his daughter in the rear view mirror as he started the engine.

"Wow, OK gang here we go!" Smiled Wade.

\------

The sun was setting as they pulled up to a large colonial house which had been painted a power blue colour. The shutters and doors where a miss match of white, grey and black no doubt painted at different times in the houses life perhaps by different owners of the apartments.

The paint work itself was tattered and peeling from the wooden boards which encased the house. It was a large clearly four story house with stone steps leading down towards the basement apartment, what looked like a metal fire escape hugged the side of the building leading towards an attic apartment while wooden steps lead to a porch at the front of the house which was divided into two. Off of the wooden steps were two front doors each hiding another apartments which were spread over two floors. Wade nervously watched Bucky's profile as he stared through the windscreen at his and Matti's new home.

"This is it honey" he said kindly to his sleeping child as he slowly unclipped his seat belt. He opened the trucks door sliding out of the vehicle as Wade tried to follow but found himself held in place by the same invisible force which had kept him in the apartment in New York for so many years.

He watched as Logan pulled up in the removal van and jumped out cigar hanging from his mouth, "you've on the left" Logan pointed as he walked around to the back of the van. Bucky nodded and tentatively moved towards the door pulling a key from his pocket as he did so.

"So" said a voice near Wade's ear slightly muffled by the glass of the truck's window, "you are new neighbour?"

It was a woman's voice with a thick heavy accent. Wade peered out of the windscreen wondering if Bucky was on his way back. He frowned as he watched Bucky disappear into the apartment. The rapt of ring clad knuckles sounded on the window Wade turned to see a pale red hair woman standing by the pickup truck, "are moving into 2a?" She asked indicating towards the door that Bucky had disappeared into.

Wade frowned at her confused he turned around to look at his sleeping toddler, could this woman be talking to his child? Why would she do that instead of speaking to Bucky... Or Logan for that matter.

"Go away" he hissed at her knowing it would be fruitless but not having broken the habit of speaking to people yet.

"How rude" said the woman clearly growing angry.

"Rude?" Snapped Wade.

"Yes, rude" she snapped back banging her fists on truck window.

Matti stirred in the back and began to cry.

"Hey Wanda you wanna back off a bit?" Called Logan striding into view.

"Being rude" she gestured to the truck.

"She was sleeping and is four" said Logan.

"What's going on?" Shouted Bucky racing back to the truck, "I was only two minutes".

He ran around to the passenger side and ranches open the door leaning through Wade to unclip and lift Matti from her car seat.

The woman, Wanda straightened wide eyed and stepped back from the truck, "sorry, I was... Mistaken".

Bucky turned giving her a disgruntled look, "what where you playing at?" He asked.

"Nothing" looking bewildered Wanda shuffled away.

Logan watched her go with a raised eye brow, "Don't worry about it Buck, Wanda's mind is a bag of cats... You can smell crazy on that one, but she's harmless. I promise I wouldn't give you a place under someone unstable".

"Yeah, what was she talking about?"

"No idea" said Logan rubbing the back of his neck, "sorry man... Let's get the van unpacked".

"Yeah, yeah... Sure" said Bucky turning slowly away.

"Fuck" Wade whispered to himself realisation flooding through him, "she could see me."

\------

Bucky was late for his first day of work. There'd been a power cut and his alarm hadn't gone off, when he dropped Matti off at her new day care they'd lost his paperwork and he had to fill it all out again in duplicate and then got lost on the way to the school.

In short Bucky was having a shitty day. It was almost nine o'clock by the time Bucky stumbled through the heavy double doors at the front of the school tripping over his own feet which in turn sent him and his paperwork sliding across the floor. His ears burned red as the sound of several dozen teenagers laughing filled the air.

He drew himself up onto his knees and started to scrape his papers towards himself he was in such a tailspin that he hadn't noticed another teacher joining him on the floor to help pick up the pages.

"You must be our new languages teacher". Bucky started looking up into perfect blue eyes.

"Um...I must be" he said dumbly.

The another man's face burst into a grin, "I'm the art teacher, Steve Rogers".

He offered his hand to Bucky, he shook it. "Bucky Barnes" he said confidently, "I think I'm late for my meeting with the principal".

"Peggy?", asked Steve an eyebrow rising, "let me showing the way, are you ok? You look a little flustered" Steve stood neatening the paperwork in his hands.

"It's been one of those days and it ain't even nine yet" Steve walked him to the principal's office on the way there the conversation flowed between them with an easy back and forth.

"Russian huh?" Said Steve as he passed the papers back to Bucky.

"Yeah"

"Seems hardcore, I had no idea we were seeking to teach Russian".

"I don't think the school is its just one of the twelve that I speak"

"Seriously? Wow"

"Yeah, pops taught me French when I was little and it just grew from there"

"That's impressive my French ain't bad but I didn't get on with German and kinda gave up on languages" Steve confessed a boyish grin spreading across his face, "what made you move to Maine from New York? I like Bridgeport but compared to the big apple it ain't much"

"Finances, the job market and I guess the need for a fresh start".

"Yeah, small towns attract people who have the need for a fresh start." Steve nodded, "should I ask?" Steve glanced he him as they walked.

"I... My husband died... Shot in a robbery".

"Oh god that's awful I'm so sorry" and Steve really did seem sorry.

"It was a while ago, two years... Feels like longer and less all at the same time" Bucky tried to smile at Steve realising that they were stopping outside of a door.

Steve knocked, "still, I am sorry".

The door opened to revel a strict looking woman, "ah, Steve you've delivered the new languages teacher."

"I'm so sorry I'm late the alarm didn't... And the day care lost my daughters paperwork and... Couldn't find the... I'm sorry"

"Peg, he's had a shit day and it's only just nine be gentle." Said Steve commending but kind


	3. Fuck Off Wade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky starts his new job and starts to make friends in the new town... And Wade makes a friend too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am apparently shit at updates - won't make promises or I'll just disappoint you!! But for those who are sticking with me I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

"French, German and Spanish" said Peggy her accent clipped and British. She sat behind a large oak desk her perfectly painted and manicured fingers enlaced each other as they perched a top a printed copy of Bucky's CV. "Those are the languages that we currently offer".

Bucky nodded, "I'm fluent in all three of those languages".

"Yes, I can read" she said her eyes drifting downwards.

"Yes Ma'am" he said looking down at the stack of papers in his hands.

"I would like to know your thoughts of perhaps introducing a fourth offering in the languages department, Italian perhaps?"

"I can speak Italian but I believe that Japanese would be the more logical choice given that today's students with any luck are tomorrow's captains of industry and Japanese or perhaps Chinese would give them a much better foundation for the next chapter of their lives".

Her scarlet red lips curled into a smile, "excellent" she unlinked her hands and slammed them down on the desk, "well argued Mr Barnes" she pointed at him. Standing she stepped towards the window and stared out over the fields behind the school, "I was thinking that an after school club to give the students a taste would be a good idea". 

Bucky felt himself blanch a little.

"Mr Rogers, Steve, runs an after school club for students who are invested in the arts. And I feel that a languages club would sort the chuff from the wheat and prevent you wasting your time." 

"I would love too but I have a daughter she's four, so she's not in school yet, and I need to get home to her. I don't know anyone here yet and I'd hate to leave her with a stranger".

"Of course I understand completely perhaps we can put a pin in it for a few months?"

"I'd be open to it once we got our feet under the table a bit... I mean so far I've meet a neighbour, who I wouldn't trust with a potted plant..."

"You moved into Angie's flat?"

Bucky nodded.

"Then I take it you mean Wanda?"

"Yeah, she's something"

"Hmm, what a kind way to put it. She claims to be psychic owns a shop in town and does card readings, pretends to speak with the dead. I imagine her a charlatan like others of that ilk are."

"I see, I figured it best to avoid her"

"I'd say so, Phil on the other hand is a pleasant man, quite, keeps to himself, ex FBI I believe." she muttered the last part frowning. 

Bucky nodded, "I've not met him yet".

"I'd doubt he'd introduce himself like I said keeps to himself but Bruce and Natasha are very nice they'll be in the flat below you".

"I've not met my basement neighbours yet just Wanda and the Art teacher who looks like a gym teacher" Bucky let out a small laugh, "Steve? He seemed nice".

"He is, gets on with everyone he usually organises drinks afterwork on the first Friday of term. It would be a good way for you to meet everyone if you could find a sitter...".

"Maybe I'll make it next term" he said unsure that he wanted to cast around desperately for a sitter he barely knew.

"Shall I show you to your class room? Your first lesson will be at eleven".

"Great" he smiled. 

\------

The last bell of the day rang, "answer questions fourteen through to twenty in your workbook before Wednesday's class" Bucky bellowed as the students fled the classroom. He sighed packing up his belongings, "bet they don't even open the book" he said to himself.

"I'll take that action" said a voice near the door.

"Steve" said Bucky looking up, "isn't it?"

Steve nodded grinning, "wondered if you fancied joining the faculty for a drink on Friday night".

"I have a daughter, Matti, I don't know anyone to babysit..."

"Come on" Steve grabbed Bucky's hand and dragged him into the corridor, "there's a notice board out here a couple of girls in my art class have started a baby sitting business, twins Josie and Lizzie. Their good girls they've got good heads on their shoulders, their father's the priest and their mother owns the bakery over on Wallis street. Makes fantastic bread." Steve pulled off a tab from their poster and handed it to Bucky, "maybe think about it?" Steve patted him on the arm and headed off down the corridor.

"Sure" Bucky called after Steve's retreating back. 

He wasn't sure about leaving Matti with a couple of teenagers but he also wanted to get to know his colleagues, he realised with a jolt that by colleagues he'd meant Steve. As he drove the to the day care centre he wondered why he wanted to go out just get to know Steve better. There was something between them... An attraction... was is sexual? Was it too soon to be having those sort of thoughts? 

When he and Matti got home he saw the box on the mantelpiece with some of Wade's ashes in and felt unbelievably guilty. He allowed the feeling to carry him through the rest of the week and declined to join the other teachers on the Friday night, "next time" Steve said easily smiling.

"Yeah" Bucky replied vaguely cleverly not making a commitment. 

\------

Wade sat on the window seat in the living room of their new Maine apartment. It had become his favourite place to sit in their home not only because he could see Bucky's comings and goings but those of the other occupants of the apartment building as well as being able to see town below them from the house's elevated position from the hilltop. 

Each morning he watched as a dark haired man in his forties left the apartment next door and walked down the hill towards the town. He was always wearing blue jeans and a leather jacket. He'd pull up the collar on the jacket as he walked, Wade wasn't sure if it was to protect against the wind or in an attempt to look cool. The forty something man would appear daily at 5:30 am leaving Wade an hour to wait before he got to witness a red headed lady disappearing on her morning run from the apartment beneath them. 

Shortly after her a man would appear from the basement apartment sensible trainers, jeans and a t-shirt the briefcase and coffee in his hands suggesting his job was something more then his attire suggested. He'd watch the red head return after about an hour usually nodding towards the haggard yet well dressed man who also appeared from the apartment next door. 

Occasionally he'd catch sight of Wanda who didn't seem to keep regular hours and she'd stare at him through the window for several long moments before mounting her push bike and heading towards the town. 

It was a Friday night when the truck swung into the driveway and Bucky hopped out leaning back in to pull Matti out of the cab too. He was struggling with several bags of shopping and Matti when the red head Wade had watched go for a run every morning for the past week appeared. She bounded around the corner of the truck before leaping forward and snagging one of the paper bags before it slipped to the floor. She smiled brightly at Bucky as she stood up wriggling her fingers in a wave at Matti before pulling an ear bud from her ear. They were talking but their voices was muffled by the glass there were introductions Wade thought the woman said her name was Natasha. And then they were heading towards the house. Wade watched as they mounted the steps and heard the scrape of Bucky's keys in the lock. He stood leaving the living room to follow them down the corridor and into the kitchen.

"Thanks for the help" Bucky was saying as Matti said "I like your hair it's pretty".

"Thank you, both of you" he could hear the smile in Natasha's voice. "Well it was nice meeting you both" she said as she put the paper bags on the counter. 

"Yeah, nice meeting you too... Would you like to stay for a coffee, tea," his eyes skimmed over her run attire, "water?"

"No, I'm good thanks" she turned towards the door.

"Trying to make friends baby?" Asked Wade.

"I brought beer" said Bucky as she reached the door.

"Give me ten to change into something less sweaty".

"Great" Bucky smiled. Natasha headed out and Bucky started unpacking the shopping bags. Wade watched as his husband put some rice on to boil and a piece of plain chicken into the oven. As Matti danced around his feet telling him about her day at the day care centre. Wade smiled listening to his little girl. She was growing into a proper little person and she looked more and more like Bucky each day. 

"Can I colour?" Asked Matti. 

"Sure baby, you wanna sit in the living room?"

"Yep, can I have a biscuit?" 

"No, baby your dinner's in the oven".

"Aw, please" she begged.

Wade laughed, "come on daddy just one" he said at the same time as Matti said, "please just a little one?"

"After dinner, how's that?" 

"Yay" she jumped up and down on the spot for a moment before skipping into the living room. He smiled as his daughter skipped away turning his attention back to the shopping he quickly unpacked the bags before pulling two cold beers out of the fridge and replacing them with the fresh six pack that he'd brought. He popped the lids off and nervously loitered by the kitchen island. 

"What's wrong babe, fancy her?" Asked Wade laughing. He'd been the bisexual one in their relationship, Bucky'd never been interested in women. 

"Pull it together Barnes" Bucky told himself, "we're just getting to know someone, ain't that hard we've had friends before".

"Still do that huh?" Said Wade, "talk to yourself? I always thought that was cute". 

"I'm back" called a voice from the front door.

"It's open come on in" Bucky shouted back. He slid a bottle over to Nat, "fancy sitting on the porch?" He asked.

"Sure" smiled Nat, "Bruce'll be home soon maybe he could join us?" 

"More the merrier" remarked Bucky as he snagged the egg timer off the side, "Matti" Bucky called his child, "come colour outside baby" Wade watched as his daughter skipped outside behind her father. 

They sat on the porch and chatted for a while before Bucky fixed Matti's dinner and put her in bed when he returned with more beers, phone and old baby monitor in his hands, "fancy a pizza?" He asked Nat as he walked back out onto the porch, "oh, hey man" he added seeing the man who had joined the red head.

"This dude just turned up" said Wade waving his hand at the new comer from his spot on sitting legs up on the porch railings. He tried not to think about how he could sit there without falling through it. The man looked vaguely Italian and had short dark curly hair he stood wiping his hand on his jeans before offering it to Bucky, "Bruce Banner, it's nice to meet you" he smiled it was kind.

"Bucky Barnes, I'm guessing your Nat's husband?"

"Twelve years now" Bruce grinned.

"Stand down solider he's gay" said Nat slapping her husband's thigh playfully, "and he's slightly over protective... Occasionally jealous".

"Ok, let's just get this out of the way before we go any further... One - all of Nat's male friends look like they've just jumped off a catwalk or outta a magazine somewhere and most of them hit on her in front of me, it's hard not to be annoyed at that..."

"I'm married." Nat said plainly. 

"And two a I only mention our mileage because it was our anniversary two weeks ago and someone forgot..." Bruce pointed at Nat.

"Oh god, I'm never living that down am I?" 

"If I'd forgot Buck would've had it engraved on my head stone!" Said Wade laughing. 

"Geez you forgot? I was with Wade for ten years and he never forgot..."

"Thank you Facebook" grinned Wade.

"Married him on my eighteenth birthday".

"Wow, so like the second your were old enough" teased Bruce.

"Pretty much" Bucky smiled.

"Wade's one of Logan's army friends... right?" asked Bruce, Bucky handed him a beer. 

"Yep" Bucky nodded.

"He... Um... He make it back?" Asked Bruce.

"Sure, had eleven years together after he left the army before he died".

The air was a little tease for a moment before Nat clapped her hands together and said "so pizza?". They ate and drunk and chatted together until night fell and they had to light a few candles to see on the dark porch. The crunch of the drive and the bright LED lights of a car signalled the arrival of another of their neighbours.

"Phil" said Nat as the car stopped.

"You mind if he joins us?" Asked Bruce.

"More the merrier" repeated Bucky. 

"Hey Phil fancy a cold one?" Shouted Nat as the older man got out of his car.

"I don't want to intrude" said Phil. Wade watched frowning as another man exited the car without opening the door. 

"No intrusion at all" said Bucky "just an impromptu welcome party... Right?" 

"Yeah, come old man you can have one and still be in bed by eleven" grinned Bruce. 

"One" responded Phil mounting the steps. The younger man followed him up the stairs, Bruce handed him a beer ignoring the other man.

"So your a friend of Logan's?" Asked Phil imitating Bruce.

"Yeah I knew him through my husband..."

"Wade Wilson" Phil nodded, "107th right"

"Thought you were ex FBI" quipped Natasha.

"As ex as a special can get I guess" smiled Phil.

"So your Clint knew Logan in special ops right?"

"Yeah, they did three years together before I finally persuaded Clint to settle down with me".

"I'm guessing your Wade" said the younger man who was sitting on the empty porch swing on Phil's side of the porch.  
"Fuck, you can see me how come Buck can't?" Asked Wade

"Well that's easy" continued the man talking over the others conversation. "I'm dead, your dead and they... Well they ain't dead"

"Your dead?"

"I'd prefer that you'd call me Clint, but yeah I'm dead."

"Your Phil's Clint, Logan's bud?"

"That's me" 

"Wow, I've never met another dead person before".

"Really? Where've you been all your death?"

"Mainly in New York in our apartment but then we moved here..."

"Wait you never left your apartment?" Clint laughed, "Christ how long have you been dead?"

"I'm not sure maybe two years?" 

"I remember my first few months it's weird, disorientating at first but you should be able to move past that and start to you live your death to its fullest"

"Live my death?" 

"Well your gonna be stuck for a while I'm guessing"

"How'd you figure that?" 

"Been dead to two years and you can't even leave your apartment?" Clint laughed again, "yeah your gonna be here for a while".

"How long have you been dead?" Asked Wade a little defensively. 

"Six years".

"And your still hanging around like a bad smell".

Clint laughed, "yeah well I've gotten kept an eye on my Phil otherwise..." 

"Otherwise..." Prompted Wade

"Phil had a breakdown after I died it's why he had to leave the FBI. I like to keep him company"

"So... What you being there keeps him sane?"

"Phil's sensitive to the supernatural he can feel my presence it reassures him".

"Feel your presence?" Questioned Wade "dude that's... That's fucked up!" 

"Hey your still living with your widowed husband... That's fucked up!"

Wade laughed he liked Clint.  
"Have you tried to leave your apartment on your own?" Asked Clint when their laughter died out.

"No, I know I can't so I just kind of..."

"Haunt it?"

"No... Well yeah I guess only they can't see or hear me so it's less of a haunting more of an observation". 

Clint laughed again, "dude it ain't hard you just gotta concentrate".

"Concentrate?"

"Yeah, I mean you've got to really, really want it. Death ain't easy you can't just sorta think I'll go out today... You've got to be thinking I'm going out, I'll walk through that door, I'll put one foot in front of the other to do it." 

"Right" said Wade unconvinced.

"You don't get... But trust me bud you try a little harder and it'll come, it'll happen".

"Ok" said Wade still unconvinced. 

\----------

"Buuuucccccckkkkkkyyyy" sang Wade in a sing song voice, "Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuccccccccckkkkkk".

He was sat on Bucky's bed watching his husband sleeping deeply. Natasha and Bruce had produced several more six packs and to spite Phil sticking to staying for only one drink the other three drunk into the small hours of the morning. Wade was willing to bet that Bucky would have the mother of all hangovers. 

And he was shortly to be awoken by a ball of whirling toddler energy. "Buck, Buck, Buck, Bucky" shouted Wade, "look if you don't get up Matti and I are just going to just on the bed and wake you up". He leant over Bucky and reached out a finger to gently tap Bucky's nose but as always his finger slipped right through his husband's nose. 

He sighed heavily and grinned at the sound of two little bumps on the floor which was the sound of Matti's little feet hitting it after jumping out of her bed. Like the clap of distance Thunder Matti's little feet hammered across the hall way echoing loudly due to the lack of carpet. 

"Come on baby she's almost here" he started to poke Bucky's back his finger slipping through the living man as always. 

'Concentrate'

Clint's words drifted back into Wade's mind he frowned in deep concentration "get up" he hissed at he poked Bucky for the last time his eyes widen in shock as his finger connected with Bucky's back. 

Then two things happened at once which meant that Wade couldn't be sure of what he heard... The first was that Matti burst into the room the bedroom door swinging violently open and hitting the dresser loudly and the four year old launched herself onto the bed shouting "wake up" as she did so. 

The second Wade can only say he thought he heard it, the small child so loud and so hurricane like she distracted him. But he through he heard Bucky groan 'Fuck off Wade'.


	4. ... Like two plums hugging.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky gets a little closer to Steve and Wade learns a few things...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This for hanging in there guys!! Enjoy!!!

"Alright, alright I'm awake" moaned Bucky extracting himself from the covers and picking up his wiggling, giggling child. "Come on baby lets get some breakfast". As he headed towards the stairs Wade watched awe struck. 

"Babe" said Wade following him "Did I just wake you up?" 

Of course Bucky didn't answer he couldn't see Wade. He couldn't hear Wade. All he knew was his ribs hurt a little. He sat Matti in front of the TV and stuck some cartoons on, inwardly belittling himself for being what he termed a 'phone it in dad', he retired to the kitchen he threw down a couple of aspirin with a glass of water before opening a pack of pre-made pancakes. 

He put a couple on a plate with some blueberries and an apple chopped into slices we added a spoonful of chocolate spread for good measure before pouring a glass of milk he put the plate and glass on Matti's tray with fold out legs and placed it down in front of her where she sat on a cushion on the floor. Pulling the blanket of the back of the sofa he lay down on it and wrapped himself up grabbing a little shut eye as Matti enjoyed her breakfast. Wade sighed and sat down on the window seat watching Matti pull her pancakes apart and dipping them into the chocolate spread before munching them down content in her little world. He looked out of the world and watched as Clint appeared from the apartment next door pulling his collar up and shoving his hands in his pockets and headed down the hill towards the town. Wade concentrated hard and knocked on the window, Bucky startled and Clint spun around. 

"Was that a knock at the door?" Bucky pondered aloud as he struggled to stand up.

"Just me babe, sorry" muttered Wade as Bucky opened the front door and frowning shut it again before rolling over the back of the sofa and landing softly on it closing his eyes once more.

"This your kid?" Asked Clint as he rounded the corner into the sitting room. 

"Technically she Buck's but yeah this is my Matti"

"She's cute"

"Gets it from Buck"

"Yep, properly best you used Bucky's stuff he's much better looking then you".

"Rude" said Wade disgruntled, "rude, but true."

"You knocked on the window that's progress" smiled Clint.

"Yeah I think I woke Bucky up too"

"How?"

"I poked him"

"With what?" Clint smirked.

Wade frowned, "my finger".

"Oh, yeah sure".

Clint wondered around and room, "this your wedding day?" He asked picking up a photograph from the mantelpiece.

"Yeah" said Wade looking over at Clint.

"Jesus, Bucky was young".

"Eighteen"

"Cradle robber"

"How old's Phil?"

"Point taken" grinned Clint, "Matti was a cute baby" he said picking up the next photo. Clint wondered over to the coffee table and put the photograph down on it. "That's your home work" he said heading back towards the front door. 

"What are you doing?" Asked Wade jumping up and staring at the framed picture now standing on the coffee table facing Bucky.   
"Practice dude, it makes perfect".

Wade followed Clint into the hallway, "you can't leave it there."

"I'm not, your going to move it before Bucky wakes up".

"What the fuck man, where are you going?"

"Into town... There's someone I wanna see" with that Clint disappeared through the door.

"You can't just leave!"

Clint's head and shoulders reappeared through the door "Wrong-o my friend... You can't just leave. Me on the other hand..." Once again he was gone. 

Wade returned the living glad that Matti was so engrossed in the adventures of a talking pig that she hadn't noticed the moving picture frames in the room. He knelt by the coffee table and made some grabbing motions at the frame. His fingers slipping through the solid object. 

"Fuck" he shouted grabbing at the object once more. Bucky, Wade knew well, wasn't a heavy sleeper he'd never had been. If he'd been able to hear the conversation he and Clint had been having Bucky would have been awake already. Too much noise and Bucky would be on his feet. "Concentrate old man" he took a ghostly breathe and reached for the object once more. It feel solid for a moment before it was icy liquid again and it slipped through his fingers. 

He screwed up his eyes and reached out again. This time it seemed less solid it was smoke drifting slowly over his hands. "Come on you can do this" as he made another grab Matti's cartoons finished and the toddler stood up plastic plate in hand and started shuffling towards Bucky distracted by picking the odd crumb of the plate. 

"No Matti" he hissed at her as he tried once more to grab the frame he managed it just as Matti unceremoniously shoved the plate into Bucky's chest "finished" she sang as Bucky sat up. 

"Ok baby" he said. 

Wade quickly continued to move the frame back to its place. The motion caught Bucky's eye with in a split second Bucky was on his feet and staring at the floating frame. His mouth dropped open, "what the fu..." Slipped out of his mouth. 

Wade lost concentration at the look of horror on Bucky's face and the frame slipped through his fingers. It smashed to pieces on the floor. "Jesus" cried Bucky as he scooped Matti up to avoid the glass. 

\--------

Mildly freaked out what he had witnessed Bucky decided to get some fresh air and walk into town with Matti telling himself every step of the way that he was still drunk. People imagined weird things when they were drunk... Right? It was eleven by the time they reached the centre of town where there was a small collections of shops including a art gallery, cafe and a coffee shop. He decided that he needed some food to mop up the alcohol but that it was too early for lunch so he headed towards the bookshop instead of the cafe. 

It was a second hand bookshop called 'Fitzsimmons' the bell over the door chimed happily as they entered. As bookshops went it was the strangest one Bucky had ever been too as it also sold sweets. Behind the counter was a huge shelve filled with jars containing brightly coloured sweets and in the counter itself was glass and had rows and rows of chocolate bars from all over the world. Matti pressed her hands and nose against the glass wide eyed in wonder. 

"The rule is" said a young man with a thick Scottish accent, "no sweets, unless you buy a book."

"You enforce that?" Asked Bucky amazed.

"Not really, but you know it gets the kids thinking... Makes them look around a wee bit more"

"Cunning" said Bucky smiling, "I like it".

"Well it works sometimes" replied the man.

"Do you have a languages section?" Asked Bucky.

"You mean books written in a foreign language or phase books to help you learn a foreign language?" Asked the man astutely.

"Novels written in another language, I'm particularly interested in 'Madonna in a fur coat' in the original Turkish or 'I am a Cat' in the original Japanese".

"You must be the new languages teacher at the high school" exclaimed the man. 

"I am indeed, Bucky Barnes" he offered his hand. He figured it was that small town mentality - everyone knew everyone else's business and they has the right to comment on it.

"Leopold Fitz" he shook Bucky's hand. "We don't have 'I am a Cat', but I can order it we occasionally order a small shipment of new books if there's enough demand. I'm putting in an order at the end of the month. The art teacher, Steve, he's asked for a couple of books on the impressionists and Daisy at the cafe's asked for a copy of a Julia Child cookbook. A couple more books and the order'll be worth our wild. It's a little extra to help cover shipping but if we get a couple more requests it'll only be a dollar, dollar fifty or something".

"Sounds fine" said Bucky watching the man typing on a laptop on the counter.

"We do have 'Madonna in a fur coat' though should be on the shelve. I'll show you" Fitz made to move around the counter when the bell sang again and a burly man with black hair entered. 

"Your alright man, just pointed me in the right direction" said Bucky picking up Matti who'd been staring up at the man her month ajar.

"Are you a giant?" She asked the man from the safety of her father's arms.

He eyed her coldly before ignoring her altogether, "I need a book" he told Fitz.

"Your in the right place then my friend, just a mo. Bucky..." He turned back to Bucky, "languages section is straight down there fourth row in your left, the children's section is sixth on your right if your interested" he smiled. 

Bucky smiled back, this was going to become a favourite place he could tell, as the burly man asked for a book on fixing a Harley Davidson's engine. Bucky found his section and started scanning the shelves for his book. Matti wiggled in his arms and he set her down ensuring that he held on to her hand. She rocked on the balls of her feet swinging from his hand as he worked his way down the rows. 

"Can I have one?" She asked running her fingers along the spines of the books.

"Sure baby we'll both get some new books" he said picking up a battered copy of the 'Count of Monte Cristo' in the original French. He loved the book and had leant his copy to an old colleague which resulted in him never seeing it again. He removed the book keeping it in his hand, "how about we get you one in English and one in French?" 

"Ok" she said not listening. 

She wasn't keen on learning new languages but Bucky was determined being bilingual was such an useful skill. He located his book picking it up he started the wonder back along the row idling looking at the titles as he pulled his child along. As he reached the end of the row and stepped into the main corridor through the shelves he bumped into the burly man.

"Sorry" said Bucky quickly. 

"Yeah" said the man menacingly, "you should be" he stepped towards Bucky aggressively.

"Like I said" Bucky stepped towards him not intimidated for a second, "sorry".

The man stepped a little closer raising his hand towards Bucky, "everything ok?" asked a familiar voice. The man froze behind him Bucky could see Steve. The man rolled his shoulders and shoved pass Bucky towards the front of the shop.

"Rude" said Bucky.

"Forget in man, he's clearly a jerk" said Steve. 

"Yeah, no need is there?" Asked Bucky. 

"Course not, but there's no accounting for manners" 

"None" agreed Bucky, "we're heading for the kids section"

"Great, can I join?" 

Bucky nodded.

"So, we missed you last night" said Steve as they sat down at a tiny table and chairs while Matti explored the books. 

"I know I'm sorry it's just our first week here and I didn't want to leave Matti with a stranger". 

"Understandable" said Steve. 

They fell into easy conversation as Matti piled book after book on the table between them. Bucky shuffled through the books as they chatted adding a couple to his pile. He noticed in Steve's pile was a book about the work of an artist he hadn't heard of along with a book entitled 'The Psychopath Inside' Bucky frowned at the odd choice, "is he a favourite?" Bucky nodded at the art book. 

"Charles Le Brun? He's ok I guess did some decent line drawings he's mostly your typical 16th century French artist" replied Steve.

"Then why the book?" 

"Kid in my class rates him wants to basis his exam project on his work. Figured I should know a thing or two about him, right?"

"Yeah totally, can't have the student thinking he's the master".

"Exactly staying one step ahead gives the illusion of intelligence"

"'The Psychopath Inside' huh? That for another student" he joked.

"Oh, no just... An interest" Steve glanced at his watch, "you and Matti hungry?" 

"Oh" said Bucky frowning for a second at the abrupt chance in conversation, "Yes we are hungry we were thinking of trying the cafe" 

"Great choice, come on it'll be my treat"

"You don't have to..."

"Yes, but want too" he stood picking it up his books and holding out his hand. 

\-------

By the time he got home carrying a bright yellow bag with a monkey on the front (logo of Fitzsimmons although Bucky couldn't fathom why) containing several books (and having ordered several more) and a couple of bags of sweets and a very tried almost five year old the feeling of excitement was already starting to brew in his stomach. 

He hadn't started something new since he was eighteen and that was a whirlwind looking back those decisions in the early days of his relationship with Wade were based on lust and passion. He was lucky that once that had burnt out genuine love was left or he would have been stuck in a ill advised marriage. 

The cafe had been amazing it had antique tables and chairs, beautiful art on the walls done by local artists and incredible gourmet food all homemade by the owner. He and Steve had fallen into easy conversation laughing and flirting the afternoon away while Matti enjoyed colouring, milkshakes and helping the owner - Daisy - to decorate and taste test some cookies. Steve had pointed out several portraits that he had drawn himself on the walls. They were charcoal line drawings so perfectly drawn that Bucky felt he could see the very soul of the subject. 

"Could you draw Matti for me?" he'd asked Steve, "it'd be a nice present for my folks".

"Of course but I'm kinda swapped at the moment. I'm working on some pieces for the gallery up the street, it's a study of the human form... Nudes mainly" he said quickly like he was scared of being judged or embarrassed. 

"Maybe I could pose for you then" said Bucky, "not that I'd send that drawing to my folks!" He exclaimed when he'd caught what he'd accidentally implied. 

Steve laughed, it was wonderful, "actually I haven't done a lot of male nudes for the show". 

He and Matti had passed Wanda's shop on their way out of town and in giving it a wide birth he'd noticed a cute little shop selling bits and bobs for the house. He'd nipped in and brought a new photo frame as a replacement for the broken one. Having had a lovely day in town his earlier terror at what he had witnessed had evaporated and he had managed to convince himself that he had dreamt it and that it had simply fell off of the mantelpiece. Once inside his apartment he put Matti down and wondered into the kitchen where he'd left the broken frame having swept up the glass. He put the photo in the new frame and wondered if Steve was interested in his offer. 

\--------

Wade watched Bucky with a frown. When he'd left in the morning it was in a whirlwind of terror and confusion. As he swept up the broken glass he'd been muttering to himself questioning what he'd witnessed. Now several hours later having walked into and back from the town Bucky was inexplicably walking on air. It disconcerted him. 

Something had happened to Bucky in town to make him very, very happy. And for a few moments it made Wade happy until he realised that the last time he had seen Bucky smile his big bright stupid smile was after Wade had fucked him against the kitchen counter of the morning of his death. 

"Ok" he said to the back of Bucky's head while the living man cooked dinner, "I want you to tell me the truth..." Wade paced the floor as he talked, "did you meet someone new?" 

No answer, as Wade knew but it didn't stop him continuing to ask through the evening and all day Sunday. When Bucky was still grinning as he and Matti left the apartment on Monday morning Wade concluded that he'd have to leave the apartment to discover the source of Bucky's joy. As soon as the front door swung shut behind Bucky Wade moved towards it.

"Right Wade" said Wade staring at the front door, "concentrate." 

He stuck out both arms in front of himself and pushed his hands against the wood of the door. He couldn't feel it but his ghostly mind supplied that there would be a grain to the wood. He frowned in concentration until his fingertips where filled with an odd pins and needles feeling. He pushed a little harder his left hand stunk into the wooden door while the right remained on the surface. 

He gritted his teeth, "come on old man" he roared at himself and pushed harder. 

Until somehow inexplicably he was outside standing on the porch. If he was breathing it would have been ragged and hard. He felt utterly exhausted and wanted nothing more then to sit down or sleep, not that he did sleep. His legs felt like lead he dragged himself over to the steps and slumped down on the top one leaning against the railing and closing his eyes. 

"Just take a moment to recover" he muttered to himself. 

"Sleep in enemy to dead men" said a heavily accented voice. 

"I'm resting my eyes" said Wade.

"Don't" said the voice, "you lose self in it. In the comfort and silence, the peace death promised but did not deliver. You lose self until you cannot open eyes or move body and then you fade until no more then memory in loved one's brain." 

"What are you talking about?" Asked Wade as he forcibly opened his eyes. Wanda stood in front of him concern etched on her face.

"Deadman sleeping is end" her bicycle with its wicker basket attached to the front leant against her hip. "You are young dead you do not know this." 

"Young dead?" 

"Dead for short time" 

"Ok..." He frowned at her, "you don't make a lot of sense usually do you?"

"I make enough" 

"Maybe" he answered. 

"I had twin, a brother two minutes older and never let me forget" she said, "he died pushing child out of the way of a bus. He got stuck between world as you are because he did not want to leave me. But watching his twin grow older without him made him sad. He lay down and would not move. I lost him twice as I watched him fade away to nothing more then memory". 

"I... I... it's just it was so much energy to push my way through the door that I had to rest"

"Moving after death is unnatural so naturally it is hard. You must want to leave badly... Why is this?" She asked frowning.

"I want to find Bucky, I'm concerned he's cheating on me".

"No" she snapped, "he is not cheating, he is widower he can not cheat, isn't it nice he find new love?" She smiled.

"Ah, no I'm still here we're still in love" 

"Love does not die easily, it grows as we do. Your man has a life ahead of him in which his love will change and grow to include new love and not forget old." 

"No he wouldn't do that to me" snapped Wade as he forced himself to his feet and stormed off in the direction Clint left in every morning. 

\--------

Bucky was still replaying Saturday in his head when he dropped Matti of at day care on Monday morning, "hey can you recommend a good babysitting service?" He asked the somewhat disinterested girl in reception. 

She popped her chewing gum loudly in his face before making a show of the effort it took her to stand up and shuffled into the office. Bucky rolled his eyes and was about to leave when she returned with a small stack of cards and dumped them on the counter "here" she grunted.

"Thanks" said Bucky he was seriously questioning his choice in day care. As he got back into his truck he remembered the way Steve laughed and his easy smile. He remembered how they'd talked for hours and how Steve put him at ease. The afternoon at the cafe had been perfect and had left Bucky with a sense of excitement and a crush. Bucky had felt a connection starting to form between them, it was exciting like when he'd first met Wade. It made him feel like a teenager again, he couldn't stop smiling. He hoped that Steve was open to developing their budding relationship whatever it might turn out to be. As he swung into an empty parking space at the school he saw Steve getting out of his car. 

"Hey Steve" he shouted at him trying not to look over eager.

"Buck" he said giving him a short nod. Bucky shuffled from foot to foot that greeting had seemed a little cold. 

With a wave Steve headed into the building Bucky hauled his backpack out of the truck and headed into the building through the same door as Steve. All of the excitement at seeing Steve that had been building inside of him all morning disappeared and was quickly replaced with a feeling of worry, had he done something wrong? Did he seem a little too over eager? Did he flirt too much? He shook those negative thoughts from his head and called out to Steve trying to sound more casual and friendly and less like he wanted to get into Steve's pants, "wait up Punk". 

"Punk?" Steve frowned as he stopped ahead of him in the corridor, "sure, jerk" he smiled. Bucky's heart sang.

"So, did you have a nice weekend?" Asked Bucky as he caught up with Steve and they resumed walking towards Steve's classroom.

"Yeah it was great, particularly Saturday".

"Oh really, what'd you do?" Asked Bucky distractedly having started to replay Saturday's conversation in his head trying to figure out if he'd done something wrong. 

"I... We spent it together"

"Yeah, I know I was there" he tried for an awkward joke that fell flat, "I meant after like on Sunday?" 

"On Sunday Sam and I assembled the dining table that we brought last weekend, it looks pretty good. Sam keeps saying it's great because now we can entertain more". 

'Sam' his brain supplied, 'like Samantha? Like long term partner who he lives with?'

"That sounds great" he said automatically.

They had reached Steve's classroom and as the blonde opened the door Bucky could see that a large black vase filled with beautiful long stemmed white lilies had been placed on Steve's desk. 

"Birthday? Or anniversary?" Bucky asked and a bewildered Steve drifted towards the display.

"Wow, these are amazing" he picked up the card. 

Deciding that he was no longer needed Bucky took his leave letting Steve enjoy his flowers. "Bucky these are beaut..." Steve stopped mid sentence realising that Bucky was no longer there. He smiled, "a little shy are we Mr Barnes?" He asked himself as he opened what he was sure was a card from Bucky. Having read the card he ripped it up and angrily tossed it and the flowers including the vase into the trash. 

During the walk to his own classroom Bucky was accompanied by a feeling of worry which went hand in hand with a sense of disappointment. How could he upset about something that he never had? He was being stupid it was lunch and a chat... It was friendly... "Fuck" muttered Bucky as he opened the door to his classroom. 

It was friendly, a nice visit to a cafe with a guy that everyone says is the nicest in town. He was trying to make Bucky feel welcome... And Bucky's clearly made him feel uncomfortable. And the fact that Steve was now mentioning this 'Sam' or 'Samantha' told Bucky that he had flirted too much and Steve was trying to tell him nicely to back off, trying not to hurt Bucky's feelings. 

"Idiot" he cursed himself as he dumped his bag on his desk. He'd lost the idea of a new love, sure, but worse still he'd lost the chance of making a new friend... Which was what he really needed in this town, a network of friends happy to help him out if he needed them.

\------

By the time Wade had located the high school and struggled every step of the way to get there the last bell of the day was ringing. The school kids poured out of its doors several of them ran straight through him as he struggled against their tide. He walked down the main corridor dodging as many children as he could as he way. Suddenly a fresh wave of teenagers were rushing towards him and he jumped into an open door way. 

He looked around the room it was filled with colourful pictures from various artists, there were cupboards filled with paint bottles and jars containing paint brushes, charcoal, colouring pencils and pens. It was clear that he was in the art room. A man sat behind the desk marking essays on various artists. He was checking one of the essays against a book, he wore a blue shirt and Wade thought he was handsome, clean cut and that he looked kind. Near his desk was a large bin which contained a vase of slightly wilted white lilies he moved towards bin there was pieces of a card on top it had been ripped in two. Wade's curiosity was peeked he wanted to reach into the bin and read the pieces, he watched the man who continued to mark the work in front of him. 

"Knock, knock" said a clipped voice from the door, "I wonder if I might have a word Mr Rogers".

"Mr Rogers?, am I in trouble?" The man smiled as he stood up, "in here or in your office?"

"In here's fine Steve" she nipped into the classroom and shut the door behind her pulling down the blind over the door. "So I took a delivery of some flowers for you this morning" she smiled, "all day I've been wondering who's sent them... Was it our dashing new languages teacher?".

"We've had lunch once" Steve pointed out sitting back down.

"Bucky? Are you who put a smile of his face?" Asked Wade still looking at the thorn card.

"And most days last week" said the woman.

"In the school canteen when we were on lunch duty" Steve tossed his pen aside, "I was getting to know a new colleague".

"And on Saturday when you had lunch with him?" 

"Making a new friend" Said Steve more forcibly. 

"Alright, alright" said the woman putting her heads in her pockets and wondering slowly towards the long row of cupboards under the windows, "still you have to admit" she said leaning on the cupboards and eyeing the bin. "He is very handsome and charming and has wonderful ass..."

"Peggy!"

"It is wonderful like two plums hugging" said Wade leaning next to Peggy. 

"Assets, his smile, his eyes... You know his assets" said Peggy smiling.

Steve raised an eyebrow, "I've known him little over a week and I am pleased to be making a friend nothing more Peggy, now if you don't mind" he sat back down pulling the essays towards him once more. 

Peggy rolled her eyes as she walked towards the door pulling it towards her and pausing for a moment, "I know that Brock put you through the ringer but you do deserve some happiness."

"Good night Peggy" he said sternly. 

She left leaving the door ajar while Steve continued to mark his essays Wade moved towards the bin once more. Gently he slowly reached out for one half of the card it read - '... is but... brief crack of light... nities of darkness'. He frowned it was black, dark not something to be sent with flowers and no visible name on the card. He reached for the other half so that he could piece the sentence together. 

With audible huff Steve pulled a navy blue backpack onto the desk and started to shove the essays and book inside of it. He pulled on a brown leather jacket and swung the backpack over one of his shoulders before leaving the classroom and pulling the door to a loud close as he did so. 

As Wade picked up the other half of the card he heard voices in the corridor, "hey Steve, wait up" called a familiar voice, Bucky. "So should I have brought you a birthday card?" He asked.

"My birthday is on the 4th July" answered Steve's voice, "why the concern?"

Wade dropped the card on the floor where it slid under Steve's desk. He moved quickly through the door nothing it seemed to take less effort the more he did it. 

"Oh, it's just the flowers, I figured birthday or anniversary" Bucky was saying as Steve held the main door open for him.

"Oh, no they weren't for me. The janitor put them in the wrong room they were for Maria in the classroom next to mine".

"The English lit teacher?" Questioned Bucky.

"Yeah apparently she and her husband had one of their famous fights..." The door swung closed behind them and their conversation died down as they disappeared. Wade followed down the hall. 

He tired to be content in what he'd discovered, Bucky had lunch with Steve and Steve, it seemed, wasn't interested in romance. And he would have been if it wasn't for the fact that Steve had received flowers with a dark sentence on them and that he had just lied to Bucky. Peggy had said she'd taken the delivery and that they had been for Steve... So why lie? Surely he wasn't covering up a romantic attachment. 

Wade had worked as a mercenary after the army for a couple of years. People thought the job was about muscle but it took a certain amount of brains too and more often then not a little detective work. If Steve was seeing someone then why did Peggy suggest he consider a relationship with Bucky? And if Steve was romantically involved with someone why did they chose to send him lilies - typically a flower associated with death - and a nasty sounding sentence? 

By the time Wade got to the car park Bucky was in his truck and Steve was driving out of the parking lot. Noting Bucky's smile was back in place Wade decided there and then that he did not like Steve Rogers. There was something him which made Wade feel uneasy... Something dangerous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm terrible at updates but hopefully there'll be some more soon xx

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it please leave a comment... 
> 
> If you didn't maybe don't read the next chapter....??? 
> 
> Thank you for reading Row4nOwls.


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